Over the past 28 seasons it has been our honor to be part of many stories. Whether on stage, through our educational programing, or from our company members, these stories have created the Georgia Shakespeare family. Over the next few weeks we are delighted to share some of those stories with you.

Lynne and Beatrix Clark

Lynn Clark and her 9-year old daughter, Beatrix, our second mother daughter pair, have spent a lot of time with Georgia Shakespeare behind the scenes, and on the front lines. Here’s their story—add in the sound of constant laughter, and you’ll have the real experience.

Read on to find out more about their favorite memories and why Georgia Shakespeare matters to them.How long have you been with Georgia Shakespeare?

L: My first show was Macbeth in ’98.

B: Hmm….I think it was Much Ado in 2003.

L: Maybe the fall show before that, when she was in utero. Colin [my husband] and I got involved off andon for some time, we worked the Bard’s Bash one year.

What is one of your favorite memories at Georgia Shakespeare?

B: So many good ones, I can’t choose…. All of them!

L: Maybe swordfighting? Shakespeare’s Birthday? Counting meatballs?

B: Oh! Servant of Two Masters was Shake at the Lake. One of the actors asked for someone to come upto the stage to help him count meatballs. He asked me, “How can we divide these into two places?” butI had already done it—I threw one to the fishes!

L: One of my favorite things is that it’s been a growing experience. When Colin and I startedvolunteering, I remember everyone being so friendly. We started seeing the same people, and seeingRichard time after time. Then that wall between us and the actors broke. Now you’re no longer sitting in
the seat watching actors, you’re watching friends and family. We see Georgia Shakespeare friends outand about. It’s a very personal relationship that we have [with Georgia Shakespeare].

What has been one of your favorite shows at Georgia Shakespeare?

B: One of my favorite shows was…. All of them! Well, I liked Servant of Two Masters, Noises Off, andIllyria a lot. My favorite song in Illyria was Stay-O.

L: She sings that one all the time. Then we make up verses, don’t we?

B: Yeah!

L: I liked Allen’s [O’Reilly] song when he was locked up [Blues in the Dark].

B: The funniest thing was where they did the statues, during the song where Olivia chases Cesario!

Why is Georgia Shakespeare important to the community?

B: Because it’s British!

L: Because your dad [Colin] is British?

B: (with a big grin) Definitely yes!
L: When we first started coming, Colin brought me here on a date. We saw Macbeth. I was struck by theintimacy of the theatre; it’s not so large that you get lost in the crowd. It’s a great experience, sharingthe history and the culture, along with new interpretations. And then sharing that experience with her[Beatrix], and sharing live theatre with her, it’s really important. And it’s affordable, which is not thatcommon. There are just some places you can’t do that.

B: [Seeing a show at Georgia Shakespeare] it’s like reading the author’s thoughts on the book you’rereading. It’s like you’re getting to the heart of the work, of what you’ve helped with.

L: As a mom, and as a homeschool mom, showing Beatrix people who are passionate about whatthey do—that’s one of the greatest things you can give to a child. And we find that here, at GeorgiaShakespeare.